Restaurant Listings

Multiple Locations

8.0 RESTAURANT AND BAR, 2800 Routh, 214-979-0880. 111 East Third at Commerce, Sundance Square, 817-336-0880, Fort Worth. Ocho quesadillas with spinach and mushrooms. “Mas Chicken Salad,” with balsamic sun-dried tomato vinaigrette, veggie enchiladas, chipotle chili made with Shiner Bock beer, sweet jerk chicken. Too much?Try the “Green Plate” (vegetarian ). Quirky cuisine; it’s a mix of Cajun/Creole, Southwest, Tex-Mex, Italian, and much more. $

ECLECTIC

CAFE BRAZIL, 6420 North Central, 214-691-7791. Breakfast, lunch, and dinner; open 24 hours. 2221 Abrams, 214-826-9522, Weekends until midnight. Open until 10 p.m. weekdays. 2815 Elm, 214-747-2730. Sunday through Tuesday, until 1 a.m.; Fridays and Saturdays open 24 hours; Wednesday and Thursday until 3 a.m. Big Brazilian-style breakfasts and fragrant coffees are the attraction here, and you can enjoy them anytime. Try the French toast with fresh fruit, homemade breads, breakfast empanadas. Or build your own crepes or omelet! The menu also offers hearty soups, salads and sandwiches, plus a worldwide collection of coffees with featured specials that change daily. No alcoholic beverages. $

COFFEEHOUSE

ESPARZA’S RESTAURANT MEXICANO, 124 East Worth at Main, Grapevine, 817-481-4668. 1212 William D. Tate, Grapevine, 817-481-4867. Lunch and dinner every day. A neighborhood family favorite comfortably ensconced in a 100-year-old house in Grapevine’s historic district. Big menu of everybody’s Tex-Mex favorites. Most popular are the sizzling fajitas served for one or two with chicken, steak, shrimp, or pork as the main ingredient. Try the ratones appetizers: deep-fried jalapenos stuffed with chicken or seafood. Leave room for dessert: ice cream nachos! $

MEXICAN

GOOD EATS CAFE, 6950 Greenville, 214-691-3287. 3888 Oak Lawn, 214-522-3287. 702 Ross, 214-744-3287-1101 North Central, Piano (nonsmoking), 214-516-3287. 3516 West Airport Freeway, Irving, 313-0803.1400 Airport Freeway, Bedford, 817-540-3287. 1235 W. D. Tate, Grapevine, 817-329-3287. 5812 1-35 North, Denton, 817-387-3500.14905 Midway, Addison, 214-392-3287. Lunch and dinner to 10:30 p.m., until 11 p.m. Friday and Saturday. Chicken fried steak, mesquite grilled chicken and fish, pasta salads, fresh veggie plates at reasonable prices make this D Readers’ Choice winner: “best lunch for the money.” Casual atmosphere: brick walls, rustic collectibles, lots of greenery and swift pleasant service. Popular with both locals and visitors, office workers, and families too. No reservations. $

HOME COOKING, CONTEMPORARY

LA MADELEINE FRENCH BAKERY & CAFÉ, 11930 Preston Road at Forest, 214-233-6446. Similar location at 3906 Lemmon Avenue at Reagan; other smaller locations with limited menus throughout Dallas. Breakfast, lunch and dinner every day. A French bakery that gr-r-rrrew; this one has a quaint dining room with a country French menu: woodfire-roasted chicken, imaginative pastas, plus all the quiches, soups, salads and sandwiches that make the take-out counter so popular. Limited wine list, imported beers. $

FRENCH BAKERY

MASSIMO DA MILANO, 2931 Irving, #106, 214-630-4683. Preston Center, 6109 Berkshire, 214-987-2782. 6333 East Mockingbird, Suite 106, 214-826-9456. 710 NorthPark, 214-739-3933. 5519 West Lovers, 214-351-1426. 2121 San Jacinto, 214-871 -0400.5100 Belt Line, Suite 208, Addison, 214-661-5255.4000 North MacArthur, Irving, 214-579-3463. Breakfast, lunch, dinner, Sunday brunch, and takeout. Fresh flowers belie the fact that this is a bakery and takeout shop cum cafeteria. The food is good and a great value, too. Most popular: pasta salads, cannoli, eggplant lasagna, and thick low-fat pizzas (try the signature tomato-free albino pizza). Fall feature: osso buco. Bakery features fresh specialty breads, pumpkin pies, cheesecakes, holiday cookies; 65 percent of customers are women, many for takeout. Gourmet coffees, kids’ menu. $

ITALIAN BAKERY/CAFE

MORTON’S OF CHICAGO, 501 Elm, 214-741-2277. 14831 Midway between Spring Valley and Belt Line, Addison, 214-233-5858. Dinner only, seven nights. The original downtown location has a speakeasy feel (enter through the lower level door) while the newer Addison location has a more uptown atmosphere. Both have a “New American” style menu that goes beyond charred steer. Thick lamb chops, Sicilian-style veal, marinated tenderloin with a blackened crust, inventive appetizers such as sea scallops with apricot chutney. There’s cheesecake, of course. And Morton’s brings back such sinful solace as the souffle…even 40 variations on the martini. Award-winning winelist; for VIP members, personally engraved-brass-plaqued wine lockers stocked with your favorites at 10% off. $$$

STEAK

PASTA PLUS, 17194 Preston, Suite 150, at Campbell, 214-713-7181.225 Preston Royal East, 214-373-3999. Lunch and dinner, closed Sunday and holidays, Italian bistro with a gourmet takeout shop specializing in fresh pastas, all prepared exclusively with olive oil, fresh ingredients, and no preservatives, tomato paste, roux, or thickening agents. Breads, desserts, and low-fat sausages made on premises. There’s also an alternative “light” menu that trims fat and calories by substituting skim milk cheeses, and less oil. Does this sound like denial: eggplant Florentine with grilled polenta? It’s pasta plus more, way more. $

ITALIAN

sambuca, 2618 Elm, 214-744-0820. 15207 Addison, 214-385-8455. Monday to Friday lunch and dinner, late night Sunday to Wednesday, open to 12 a.m., Thursday until 1 a.m., Friday and Saturday until 2 a.m., closed holidays. Sexy new digs in Addison with a similar menu to Deep Ellum original. Favorites include spinach and sun-dried tomato linguini with smoked chicken, grilled tiger shrimp spiked with harissa sauce, salmon over spinach and gorgonzola, gnocchi with wild mushrooms, lamb couscous with Calamata olives. Thirty-something trendsurfers will feel right at home. Live jazz nightly after 8:15. Reservations except Friday and Saturday nights. Call for wine dinner schedule. $$

MEDITERRANEAN

SAM’S CAFE, 100 Crescent Court at McKinney and Maple, 214-855-2233. S411 Preston at Berkshire in Preston Center West, 739-2288. Lunch daily and Saturday, dinner every night, Sunday brunch. Southwest-style grill with an imaginative menu, including chili-rubbed fresh tuna, crayfish cakes with pico de gallo and black beans, and a Southwest style calzone stuffed with chicken, roast pepper, and goat cheese. The cinnamon bunuelo is filled with Mexican vanilla bean ice cream and warm caramel. $$

SOUTHWEST

SNUFFER’S, 3526 Greenville at McCommas, 214-826-6850. 14910 Midway, Addison, 214-991 -8811. 11 a.m. to 2 a.m. seven days. D readers voted these the best burgers in Dallas: half a pound, cooked medium rare, then topped with mustard, pickle, red onion, lettuce, and tomato; ask for a side of their signature “Cheddar fries.” Sandwiches, salads, chicken, and other fast fuel on the menu too. $

HAMBURGERS PLUS

SFUZZl, 2504 McKinney at Fairmount, 214-871-2606.15101 Addison at Belt Line, Addison, 214-960-2606. 2408 Preston at Park, Suite 704, Piano, 214-964-0700. Lunch and dinner every day, brunch on Sunday. Pizzas from wood-burning oven, lush raviolis plump with smoked chicken, tagliatelle in Gorgonzola cream. Fall Pasta Festival dishes, seasonal features. Frozen Sfuzzi (a frosted bellini). Inexpensive wine list. The available and semi-available begin gathering at the bar immediately after work in search of Mr. Right or Ms. Right Now. $$

ITALIAN

SONNY BRYAN’S, 302 North Market, 214-744-1610. 2202 Inwood, 214-357-7120. 325 North Saint Paul, 214-979-0102. Plaza of the Americas, 214-871-2097. 4701 Frankford, 214-447-0102. Macy’s third level, Galleria, 214-851-5131. 4030 N. MacArthur in Las Colinas, Irving, 214-650-9564. Lunch and dinner. The best-known name in Dallas barbecue. Huge portions of smokehouse meats: beef brisket, pork ribs, sausage, ham, pulled pork, with traditional “sides.” For mini appetites, try a sandwich and two vegetables. $

BARBECUE



Downto

DADDY JACK’S, 1916 Greenville at Ross, 214-826-4910. Dinner seven nights. Owner/chef Jack Chaplin re-created a typical backstreet Boston chowderhouse, right down to the live lobsters. Perfectly prepared fresh fish, sea-scented lobster bisque, and clam chowder will have you talking like a Yankee local. Featured in season: fresh softshell crabs, stone crabs, oysters, scampi, mussels marinara, grilled tuna with lobster brandy sauce, salmon with Dijon caper cream sauce.$$

SEAFOOD

DAKOTA’S, 600 North Akard at Ross, 214-740-4001. Lunch and dinner. Most popular: swordfish, lamb, five-pepper chicken. Signature dish: lamb chops with minted angel hair pasta. Menu lists calories and fat on the Dakota signature dish: citrus-marinated chicken with herbed wild rice and asparagus. Go for the vegetable lasagna. Use the saved calories for vanilla bean cheesecake withgin-gerbread crust and minted pistachio sauce, apple pecan chimichanga, or Kahlua low-fat, mile-high pie made with Hàagen Dazs frozen yogurt. $$

AMERICAN CONTEMPORARY

THE FRENCH ROOM, (Adolphus Hotel) 1321 Commerce at Akard, 214-742-8200, ext. 191. Dinner; closed Sunday. Flawless food and service have always been the hallmarks here. “Neoclassic” is lighter French. not so austere as the old “Nouvelle”: boneless quail filled with wild mushrooms, roasted tuns au poivre. Conde Nast Traveler readers’ poll; top 50 in USA. Afternoon tea: cucumber sandwiches and petits fours on Villeroy and Boch china. $$$

FRENCH NEOCLASSIC

MONICA’S ACA Y ALLA, 2914 Main at Oakland. 214-748-7140. Lunch Monday to Friday, dinner Tuesday to Thursday 5 p.m.-10:30 p.m. Friday and Saturday 5 p.m. to 11 p.m., and Sunday 8 p.m. to 11 p.m. Live music on Sundays. Business crowd attracted to Deep Ellum at lunchtime. Dinner draws singles, young professionals; weekends, couples, large groups enjoying a night out. Latin and jazz bands, dancing; This is an eclectic spot where appropriate attire includes anything from tuxedos to Bermuda shorts. Southwest and Tex-Mex dishes, plus pasta. Most popular: Greene Pasta (named for owner Monica Greene), and Mexican Lasagna. The restaurant’s signature dishes include Pumpkin Ravioli and healthy but delicious fat-free black beans. $$

MEXICAN

NEWPORT’S, 703 McKinney Avenue in The Brewery, 214-954-0220. Lunch weekdays, dinner seven days. Seafood is the feature here, prepared simply or lavished with spicy sauces and seasonings. Best bets: chipotle tuna or blackened snapper with crabmeat, topped with lobster sauce. Always bustling and busy, but expect good service. Tablecloths, fresh flowers and soft jazz combine for a relaxing ambience. Call for wine dinner schedule. $$

SEAFOOD

OUTBACK PUB, 1701 North Market, 214-761-9355. Lunch and dinnerseven days, open to 2 a.m. Steaks with quaint Aussie-inspired names {Alice Springs, Fair Dinkum Deal). Chicken-fried steak turns upon this menu as”Chook steak.” Plus oversize meat pies (called “pasty” here). Dundee stew served in a hollowed-out loaf of bread the size of a bowling ball; fish ’n’ chips, but no shrimp on the barby. For dessert: pavolova, the Australian marshmallow meringue cake (you can feel the cavities forming already). Great beer list. $

AUSTRALIAN

PALM RESTAURANT, 701 Ross at Market, 214-698-0470. Lunch and dinner weekdays, dinner Saturday 5:30p.m. to 10:30p.m., Sunday 5:30p.m. to 9: 15 p.m. Enormous lobsters and hubcap-size steaks are the feature here in this quitky clone of the New York City institution. Here they still have sawdust floors and walls tiled with celebrity caricatures. Megabites of protein on every plate; so if your appetite is normal, consider sharing (or take home a doggy bag). Even the spinach is high calorie, but wonderful. Bustling bar, lots of booths. $$

STEAK

Northwe

ADELMO’S, 4537 Cole at Knox, 214-559-0325. Lunch and dinner; dinner only Saturdays; closed Sunday and holidays. You’ve never had veal until you’ve ordered Adelmo’s 20-ounce USDA prime veal chop with green peppercorns, priciest pick on an otherwise moderate menu. (You pay for the side of beef it could have been.) Rack of lamb, lobster ravioli, crab cakes spiced with hot harissa and pesto, lamb sausage on couscous, gnocchi with gorgonzola cream sauce, creme brulee for dessert. Cuisine is an artful blend of French, Italian, and Middle Eastern. $$

MEDITERRANEAN

BOB’S STEAK AND CHOP HOUSE, 4300 Lemmon at Wycliff, 214-5 28-9446. Dinner, closed Sunday. Dark wood and leather booths, white tablecloths, Frank Sinatra and Patsy Cline in the background. Most popular: filet mignon. Signature dish: cote d’boeuf. Bob’s brings business people on weekdays and special occasions. “Cigar friendly,” $$

STEAK

CAFE PACIFIC, 24 Highland Park Village at Preston and Mockingbird, 214-526-1170. Lunch and dinner, closed Sunday and holidays. Loyal locals come for the fresh seafood, notably hot smoked salmon with sesame spinach and Pommery mustard sauce, succulent shrimp crunched with orange pepper, perfectly grilled catch of the day with a selection of sauces. Indulgent desserts. Well-selected, fairly priced wine list. $$

AMERICAN CONTEMPORARY

CAFE PANDA, 7979 Inwood at Lovers, 214-902-9500. Lunch and dinner. Spicy Szechwan dishes and other favorites including Peking duck, quail, hearty Hunan beef, rangy seafood chowder, sweet and sour tangerine beef. Tableside coffee and tea ceremonies, fried ice cream, classical music, pink tablecloths, and excellent service. Gourmet takeout and fax orders for nearby delivery. $

CHINESE

CAFE SOCIETY, 4514 Travis #133 at Armstrong, 214-528-6543. Tuesday through Thursday noon to 11 p.m., Friday and Saturday 10 a.m. to midnight, Sunday 10 a.m. to 10 p.m., closed Monday. Coffeehouse with blackboard menu of contemporary grill dishes, pastas, salads, imaginative vegetable dishes, spectacular desserts in inspiring surroundings. $

COFFEEHOUSE

CALLUAUD’S, 5405 West Lovers at Inwood, 214-352-1997. Lunch and dinner, closed Sunday. Smoking permitted only in bar area. Innovative ’”Gourmet Leger” menu offers terrine of pheasant and vegetables, fresh ravioli with wild mushrooms, eggplant caviar style wrapped in smoked salmon, veal tenderloin coated with fresh herbs and roasted with feta and sun-dried tomatoes, boneless quail on baked apples and pilaf. Or tty these favorites from the regular menu: lobster soufflé, rabbit, sweetbreads, escargot, classic onion soup. Wonderfully presented rack of lamb, Dover sole. Indulge on Lover’s as if near the Eiffel Tower. C’est magnifique. $$$

FRENCH

CRYSTAL PAGODA RESTAURANT, 4516

McKinney, 214-526-3355. Lunch and dinner, seven days. A lovely setting with food to match, including a splendid selection of spicy Szech-wan dishes. $$$

CHINESE

EUREKA!, 4011 Villanova, 214-369-7767. Breakfast, lunch and dinner Monday-Saturday. Sunday 8 a.m.-2 p.m. Right in tune with the times, this cafe has a high flavor, low-fat Pan-Cultural menu that’s garnering rave reviews. Try veggie “Eureka! bobs” or the “Eureka! Wrappers”: Armenian bread rollups. Prices are as low as the calories. There’s no wine; you can B.Y.O.B. And eat your veggies too. $

NEW AMERICAN

FOG CITY DINER, 2401 McKinney at Maple, 214-220-2401. Lunch and dinner daily. Anyone who’s visited the San Fran original will recognize the stylish spoof of American comfort food, redone for Dallas with a Southwest spin: sirloin chili, BBQ scallops, grilled pasilla pepper stuffed with five cheeses and topped with avocado salsa, diner chili dogs, and crisp mahogany chicken with homemade rice-a-roni. What, no chicken fried steak’ Don’t miss the chocolate chili tart with coffee ice cream. A worthy tribute to the quirky San Francisco chrome palace. $$

NEW AMERICAN

HOFSTETTER’S, 3840 West Northwest Highway, #400, between Marsh and Midway, 214-358-7660. Lunch and dinner, closed Sunday. Classic Beef Wellington, Wiener schnitzel, jager (veal) schnitzel, veal Zurich, and bratwurst are the stand-bys. Fall brings game: pheasant, wild boar, venison, and rabbit. For vegetarians there’s a richly indulgent vegetable platter with spaetzle (then follow it with Viennese pastries). Forest green tablecloths, French windows, and lots of plants make this a lunchtime favorite with senior male execs during the week. Other times, a mix of families and couples. (Kindermenu for children.) $$

GERMAN

HOTEL ST. GERMAIN, 2516 Maple at McKinney, 214-871-2516. Dinner Friday and Saturday with reservations and other nights for private parties. In nice weather there’s a walled New Orleans-style courtyard. It’s the perfect place to indulge on crab custard and creamy bisques, fresh seafood. They claim to serve the best potatoes in Dallas. Regular clientele, mostly local prosperous business people who appreciate the polished old world service. Special dinner for $65 arranged specially in advance. $$$

FRENCH NOUVELLE

INDIA PALACE, 12817 Preston, #105, 214-392-0190. Lunch and dinner. Tandoori lamb and chicken, curried lobster, shrimp vindaloo, crisp vegetable samosas (fried patties), chicken tikka masala-all fire and spice! Wonderful vegetable dishes: saag paneer (homemade fresh cheese chunks in a creamy spiced spinach mixture) and kashmiri kufta (fresh vegetables and cheese in dumplings). Authentic desserts include gajar (carrot) halwa. Indian breads arrive hot and puffy or crisp and fragile. $

INDIAN

JENNIVINE, 3605 McKinney at Lemmon. 214-528-6010. Lunch and dinner; closed Sunday; open most holidays, except Christmas. If they had beds and served breakfast, this could be a B&B: Olde English ambience in restored turn-of-the-century home nestled in a traditional garden where Jenni picks herbs. If you think Brit food is boring, sample Jenni’s roast duckling with mangos and homemade marmalade. Relishes, salsa, fruit vinegars, and chutneys simmer in the kitchen and sell well in the shop. $$

ENGLISH

JUNIPER RESTAURANT, 2917 Fairmount at Cedar Springs, 214-855-0700. Dinner only, closed Sunday and Monday. Introduces herb-infused rack of lamb, rosemary-scented chicken, pheasant breasr with wild mushrooms and Madeira pepper sauce, grilled tuna with pistachios and sun-dried tomato butter. Includes vichyssoise, the classic potato soup. Decide early and order a soufflé. Nice wine list features many French finds for few francs. Outdoor dining available.$$

FRENCH COUNTRY

landmark, (at the Melrose Hotel) 3015 Oak Lawn at Cedar Springs, 214-522-1453. Breakfast, lunch, and dinner six days; Sunday breakfast and brunch only, 7 a.m. to 2 p.m. The menu mixes Asia and the Americas. Wildly creative dishes intense with flavor. Examples: lobster tacos with orange chipotle butter, macadamia nut-crusted scallops with pasta shells anointed with basil-saffron oil. Most popular: smoked chicken, masa soup, Texas crab cakes with corn sauce, and Sunday brunch. Extensive wine list moderately priced. Weekday gathering place of the “power breakfast” corps. $$

AMERICAN

loma luna cafe, 8201 Preston, 214-691-1552. Lunch and dinner. Like a trip to Santa Fe without the airfare. Warm adobe decor suggests a hacienda. Smoke-sweet scent sharpens your appetite for the house specialty: meats, seafood, and chicken, gently grilled over pecan shells. Have yours Santa Fe style with posole (hominy) and beans. Desserts are unique: Indian bread pudding or cajeta sundae (homemade vanilla ice cream sauced with sweet caramelized goat’s milk).$

SOUTHWESTERN

THE MANSION ON TURTLE CREEK, 282 1 Turtle Creek, 214-559-2100. Lunch and dinner, seven days. Antique-filled historic Italianate mansion, with spectacular carved inlay ceiling. World famous and full of surprises (the wine cellar is a silver vault). Conde Nast Traveler readers place it among the top 50 restaurants in the U.S. Its vaunted stature is due in part to executive chef Dean Fearing. Not yet 40, he’s the acknowledged originator of what has come to be known as Southwest cuisine. Consider: wild boar with cumin black beans and watermelon relish; homemade venison chorizo with cracked mustard, a Southwestern version of veal piccatta on tomatillo rice, savory Louisiana crab cakes. Very extensive and pricey wine list, $$$

SOUTHWESTERN

MlA’S, 4322 Lemmon at Wycliff, 214-526-1020. Lunch and dinner, closed Sunday and major holidays. Mia, short for “Mama Mia” {my momma), co-owns this Dallas standard with her husband, chef Butch, and her son, manager Paul. $

TEX-MEX

Natura CAFE, 2909 McKinney at Howell, 214-855-5483. Breakfast Saturday and Sunday, lunch and dinner every day, closed holidays. High energy, environment-conscious, fun atmosphere. Go see the 10-foot tall faux asparagus forest in lieu of a palm tree. Bar with fireplace; open-style kitchen in the dining room. Most popular: red snapper tacos, chicken penne pasta, smoked tomato sauce, ahi ground tunaburger on kaiser roll, shrimp with black beans. It’s good for you food that is fun. $$

AMERICAN CONTEMPORARY

PAUL’S PORTERHOUSE, 10960 Composite at I-35 and Walnut Hill, 214-356-0279- Lunch and dinner, Monday through Friday 1 I a.m.to 10 p.m., Saturday and Sunday 4 p.m. to 1C p.m. Beyond the perfectly seared red meat you’ll find non-steak innovations and sophistication that belie the wagon wheel decor: southwest style cahrito (goat), charbroiled pecos rabbit, red river game hens, Texas quail, or spicy, blackened prime rib. Extensive winelist at some of the lowest prices anywhere; most rated 95 or better by the Wine Spectator. Rustic decor features original Winchester rifles, Remington bronzes and pre-Columbian art. Winner of the Texas Beef Council’s “Best steakhouse” prize, geared towards inventiveness as well as excellence. $$$

STEAK

POMODORO, 2520 Cedar Springs at Fairmont and Routh, 214-871-1924. Lunch and dinner week-nights, dinner Saturday, closed Sunday. Northern and regional Italian; clean, white tiled interior, yellow tablecloths, paintings by Sardinian artists, modern Italian music. Fans rave about the hrus-chetta, signature pastas, the risotto made with buffalo mozzarella. $$

ITALIAN

POPOLOS CAFE, 707 Preston Royal Shopping Center at Preston and Royal, 214-692-5497-Lunch and dinner, seven days. Smoking only at the bar. This is the comfortable sort of place where you could happily eat every night: white tablecloths, candlelight, fresh roses on each table, quiet jazz at low level, original paintings, and the kind of food you never lire of. For a pretty perch, nestle into the heated/cooled screened sun porch built around a huge tree. Chef Mark Gonzales shows his Napa Valley roots in his able version of Italian nuova cucina with lots of low-fat, low-cholesterol entrées. Many enticing vegetarian dishes, too. Try- the extra hot and spicy “pizza for the brave,” or meatless Iasagna with wood-file grilled vegetables. Most popular dish: angel hair pasta with shrimp. $$

MEDITERRANEAN

QUADRANGLE GRILLE, 2800 Routh, 214-979-9022. Lunch and dinner. Sunday brunch. Good selection of wines by the glass, including Texas wines. Smoke-free at lunch. Grazer’s paradise: wonderful jalapeno corn bread, trendy pizzas on homemade herbed focaccia bread (smoked chicken, spinach, pine nuts, red onion, and goat cheese). Great grilled vegetables served over rosemary fettuccine. Coffee bar with latte includes Thai-iced espresso (steamed with sugared milk and topped with foam). $

AMERICAN

THE RIVIERA, 7709 Inwood, 214-351-0094-Open seven days, dinner only. Smoke free. The Riviera continues to flag down awards with its practiced rendition of classics: updated rack of lamb with chutney, escargots with tortelloni, quail, and polenta. It’s one of the top five Dallas restaurants according to readers of Conde Nast Traveler. It’s also won the Wine Spectator Great Wine List Award. $$$

FRENCH/ITALIAN

the RUSSIAN ROOM, 500 Hotel Crescent Court, 214-922-3333. Dinner. Closed Sunday, Monday, and Tuesday. A surprising Treasure upstairs over the deli. First-class Russian restaurant serving shashlik, Stroganoff, chicken Kiev, traditional herring with dill potatoes, stuffed potatoes, stuffed cabbage, homemade blinis rolled in salmon roe or caviar. Live entertainment, imperial surroundings, food fit for a czar. $$$

EASTERN EUROPEAN

RUTH’S CHRIS STEAK HOUSE, 5922 Cedar Springs at Inwood, 214-902-8080. Open seven days, dinner only. Most popular: corn-fed steaks. Signature: shrimp rémoulade, BBQ shrimp. Yes, there is a vegetable platter, even though it’s not on the menu. Attracts business and professional people, special celebrations. This is the home of serious steaks. Country French building overlooks meandering stream. Upholstered antique church pews in the oak bar; white tablecloths and brass candles with frosted shades in the dining room; 1,200 bottles of wine on view behind an arch foretell an extensive wine list. $$$

STEAK

SlPANGO, 4513 Travis, 214-522-2411. Lunch and dinner weekdays. Ron Corcoran, Keith Jones, and Matthew Antonovich have hit upon a recipe for success that has made this one of the trendiest restaurants around. The entire menu is imaginative, from the pastas with a definite Mediterranean flair to selections from the oak fired grill to the wood-fired oven pizzas. Even if you feed on the attention, you’ll enjoy the tastes. $$

CALIFORNIA/ITALIAN

STAR CANYON RESTAURANT, 3102 Oak Lawn #144 at Cedar Springs, 214-520-7827. Lunch and dinner. Here’s where the stars at night shine big and bright, but none more sparkling than home-boy celebrity chef Stephan Pyles himself’ presiding over the restaurant’s open kitchen where a scurry of young chefs slice, dice, stir, and whirl native ingredients into jalapeno-stuffed smoked quail, wood-roasted rabbit enchiladas, Gulf Coast red snapper on Texas jambalaya dolloped with chilipiquin aioli, chile relleno filled with black bean chili, steak ’n’ cowboy beans, all with attitude…the ultimate Dallas dining experience at accessible prices. $$

NEW TEXAS

THAI TASTE, 4501 Cole at Armstrong, 214-521-3513. Lunch Monday through Friday and dinner daily. Thai classics are the standbys but there’s an interesting assortment of “fusion cuisine” experiments with East-meets-Southwest flavor. (Thai tacos? Works better than it sounds!) Spicy vegetarian dishes, too. White tablecloth setting. $$

THAI

WHITE SWAN CAFE, 3888 Oak Lawn in Turtle Creek Village, Suite 135, 214-528-7028. Lunch and dinner. Pastas and paella share the menu with Cuban tamales, citrus-marinated steak, traditional Cuban sandwiches. $$

CUBAN

YELLOW, 2719 McKinney at Worthington, 214-871-1772. Lunch and dinner weekdays, dinner only Saturdays, closed Sundays. East meets West cuisine with the sure hand of chef-owner Avner Samuels (who’s better at creating dishes than restaurant names, The last, “Da Spot,” closed after only a few months.) As always, the dishes are imaginative, polished, and perfectly presented: seared ahi tuna, foie gras with mung beans, or duck with tamarind plum sauce. For his fans’ sake, lets hope this one lasts. $$$

NEW AMERICAN

ZIZIKI’S AESTAURANT AND PAR, 4514 Travis at Armstrong, 214-521-2233. Lunch and dinner until midnight, closed Sunday. Cross a Greek diner with a Soho-style bistro and a trendy wine bar, throw in some Italian blood and a Hawaiian upbringing and here’s what you get: Chef Costa Arabatzis’ eatery. Fad-free fusion that scours the Mediterranean and Aegean for inspiration, then lightens up on the oil, All your Greek favorites, plus pasta originals. Open kitchen with Italian tile hand-crafted bar. $

MEDITERRANEAN

Northea

AL DENTE CAFE, 1920 Greenville, 214-821-6054. Bargain neighborhood place with the kind of Italian fare you remember (even to the prices). Mussels and calamari, veal cacciatore, baked ziti, Gamberoni Fra Diavola. Got the picture? When you’re in the mood for candle-in-a-Chianti-hot-tle cuisine, this place won’t disappoint. Lovely oak bar. intimate dining. $

ITALIAN

CAFFE PAPARAZZI, 8989 Forest at Greenville, 214-644-1323. Lunch and dinner, closed holidays. Contemporary black and white decor softcued with tropical foliage and oil lamps: Soft Mediterranean music. Specialties: lamb, seafood, and pasta nova. Most popular spinach, mushroom asparagus lasagna. Vegetarians rejoice! Luscious gnocchi and cannelloni, too. Lunch-time favorite of nearby medics. Outdoors on nice days. Full bar, booths. $$

ITALIAN, NUOVA CUCINA

GERSHWIN’S BAR & GRILL, 8442 Walnut Hill at Greenville, 214-373-7171. Lunch and dinner. White tablecloths, oil lamps, fresh flowers on every table, the romantic tinkle of the piano, stylish samplings for appetizers, an au courant menu: tenderloin with garlic-whipped potatoes, blackened salmon, grilled yellowfin tuna with avocado cilantro sauce, snapper en papillote, “Beggar’s Purse” filled with lobster and shrimp in a creamy bisque. Trendy pizzas and pastas. Popular Sunday brunch; outdoor dining in good weather. $$

AMERICAN CONTEMPORARY

THE GRAPE, 2808 Greenville near Goodwin, 214-828-1981. Lunch and dinner weekdays; dinner only Saturdays and Sundays. Blackboard menu features well-executed New American style bistro dishes; excellent wines; a cozy, romantic spot $$

WINE BAR/BISTRO

MATT’S RANCHO MARTINEZ, 6312 La Vista Drive at Gaston, 214-823-5517. Lunch and dinner, closed Monday. Busy, popular place puts a healthy new spin on old standards: flautas are grilled, cowboy beans are fat-free. “Lite” faji-tas, even all-veggie fajitas. But then there’s buttermilk-battered chicken-fried steak, frog’s legs, chile rellenos stuffed with beef, chicken, shrimp, or vegetables, plus Texas pecans, raisins, and jack cheese. $

MEXICAN

NERO’S, 2104 Greenville at Prospect, 214-826-6376. Dinner every night. Fresh seafood with pasta or rice, and veal chops an inch and a half thick with your choice of sauces: Masala-mushroom, port wine spiked with cracked pepper, or a zesty green peppercorn butter. Most popular Linguini fra diavola: pasta with sea scallops, shrimp, and mushrooms. But don’t miss the chicken breast stuffed with sun-dried tomatoes, goat cheese, and spinach, all topped with creamy garlic sauce. The “pink garlic bread” gets its color from tomato and grated mozzarella. $$

ITALIAN

ROYAL TOKYO, 7525 Greenville, 214-368-3304. Lunch and dinner, Sunday buffet 11:30a.m. to 2:30 p.m. Authentic sushi bar, the largest in Texas. Tatami room offers kimono-clad servers in the traditional manner (wells tor your feet; no need to sit cross-legged!) Hibachi food cooked at your table. Big draws: Black Angus beef, the karaoke bar. Extensive, well-written menu explains cuisine and customs to Westerners. $$

JAPANESE

ST. MARTINS WINE BISTRO, 3020 Greenville, 214-826-0940. Lunch and dinner, Sunday brunch. Extensive selection of wines by the glass, moderately priced, to pair with such elegantly executed entrees as shrimp and scallops in a creamy wine sauce, baby lamb chops with Dijongarlic bordelaise, tournedos, fresh pasta, home-made paté, excellent cheese choices. Check the blackboard specials. $$

FRENCH

TERILLl’S, 2815 Greenville at Vickery, 214-827-3993. Lunch and dinner, late night to 1 a.m. Friday and Saturday, Sunday brunch ll:30a.m.to 3 p.m. Business lunch spot by day; Italian bistro/supperclub by night. Live jazz nightly. Chicken primavera most popular. Try the “Ital-chos,” nacho-size chips of pizza crust with a variety of kalian toppings. Outdoor dining, too. $$

ITALIAN<BR>YEGUA CREEK BREWING COMPANY, 2920 North Henderson, 214-824-BREW. Lunch and dinner. Open to midnight, Thursday through Saturday until 2 a.m. Pig heaven for beer aficionados, appropriately paired with adroitly prepared entrées with a Southwest sting. Try salmon in beer batter and “beerbecued” buffalo brisket tacos, or black bean ravioli topped with Asiago cream sauce. They’ve outdone themselves with pizza ideas: smoked venison and boar sausage with ancho chilies and wild mushrooms. It’s a bucket o’ fun. $

SOUTHWESTERN



Oak Cliff

TILLMAN’S CORNER, 324 West Seventh at Bishop, 214-942-0988. Lunch weekdays, dinner Thursday through Saturday, closed Sunday. Don’t let the laid-back look put you off; foodies are finding this place to their liking. Ricky Tillman is a talented chef who wows them with crab cakes and orange chipotle sauced pasta, grilled pork and horseradish-mashed potatoes, authentic cedar planked salmon, Southwest cilantro chicken with a black bean salsa, rangy Key lime pie, sinfully rich bourbon-sauced chocolate cake, and intensely flavored sorbets. He’s equally adept with vegetarian and no-fat choices, too. Comfortable interior with country antiques, lots of plants, scented candles. Wine requires a $2 membership. Call about wine dinners ($40-$ 50) generally on the third Wednesdays; Sunday night live jazz. $$

AMERICAN CONTEMPORARY



Far Nor

ACCOLADES, 19009 Preston, 214-713-7090. Lunch and dinner weekdays, dinner only-Saturdays, brunch only Sundays. Dallas restaurant vets Victor Mari Alonso (La Tosca and Trieste) and Chef Christian Svalesen (Ristorante Savino) team successfully in this stylish North Dallas gathering place with all the right elements: great bar, smart New American menu with Mediterranean and Northern Italian influences. Example: salmon Napoleon with Swiss chard, green peppercorn-studded lobster on angel hair, New Zealand venison with black currant sauce, flourless chocolate torte, “Dreamsicle pariait”: housemade vanilla ice cream swirled with tangerine sorbet. $$

AMERICAN CONTEMPORARY

BLUE MESA GRILL, 5100 Belt Line at the Tollway, Addison, 214-934-0165. Lunch and dinner 365 days. Worth the trip just tor the two versions of nuevo adobe pie: chicken, cheese, and roasted peppers baked in fresh com masa, and a vegetarian version with whole black beans, tomatillos, and mushrooms. The digs are adobe style with Southwest artwork, mesa colors, lots of cacti, Santa Fe-style outdoor dining. $$



SOUTHWESTERN



CAFE ATHENEE, 5365 Spring Valley at Montfort, 214-239-8060, Lunch and dinner six days; closed Sunday and holidays. Romantic English library decor: dark paneling, white tablecloths, warm chandeliers, fresh flowers, potted palms, soft music. Senior execs and affluents come for business lunches, quiet dinners. Most popular: gypsy appetizer platter, homemade Romanian sausage. Signature: sole à la scorpio, chicken martini (low-fat ), grandmother’s stuffed cabbage, white caviar salad. $$

EASTERN EUROPEAN/CONTINENTAL



CHAMBERLAIN’S PRIME CHOP HOUSE, 5330 Belt Line, Town Hall Square at Montfort, Addison, 214-934-2467. Dinner, closed Sunday. Free valet. Fashioned after a “50s-style European brasserie: polished brass, dark woods, and deep bur-gundy tones. Most popular: tenderloin stuffed with portohello, lamb and horseradish-mashed potatoes, peppered venison steak, slow-smoked prime rib. Dallas-born namesake chef (Mansion, Crescent Club, and Agnew vet) is co-owner. $$

STEAK



COPELAND’S OF NEW ORLEANS, 5 353 Belt Line at Preston wood/M ontfort, 214-661-1883. Lunch and dinner. Busy, bustling Dallas site of the popular Cajun chain in attractive brass-greenery-Tiffany-lamplit setting. Pleasing adaptations of Cajun classics: gurnbo, shrimp étouffée, blackened redfish, andouille sausage with red beans and rice, plus pasta, ribs, burgers, Pa’ boys, croissant sandwiches, pecan cookie -crusted cheesecake, sweet potato bread pudding. Specialty drinks and. coffees, creative kid’s menu, “lite” and veggie offerings. Sunday brunch bar, booths, seasonal outdoor dining, child seats, take-out, local delivery. $$

CAJUN



DEL FRISCO’S DOUBLE EAGLE, 5251 Spring Valley at the Tollway, 214-490-9000. Dinner, closed Sunday. The carnivore’s castle. White tablecloths, candles, lots of tourists, frequent flyers, and visiting firemen in search of the quintessential Texas steak experience. Here it is. Mega-lobsters, too. $$$

STEAK



FERRARI’S VILLA, 14831 Midway near Belt Line, Addison, 214-980-9898. Lunch weekdays; dinner six nights; closed Sundays. Has been turning out classic old country pizzas and fabulous focaccia breads since 1983, along with succulent seafood, steaks and chops, chicken and veal, authentic pasta dishes. $$

ITALIAN



HUNTINGTON’S, (at the Westin Hotel) 13340 Parkway at LBJ, 214-851-2882. Lunch and dinner weekdays, dinner Saturday, closed Sunday, An elegant respite in a beautifully appointed dining room with lots of greenery and fresh flowers, wingback chairs. You’ll he cradled in comfort, surrounded by soothing music, and spoiled with attentive service. The menu promises Dover sole meunière, rack of lamb, wild boar and other game, longhorn beef, even pan-seared ostrich with sun-dried blueberry chutney. Winner of the Wine Spectator Great Wine List Award, it offers an extensive, yet moderately priced selection. $$

AMERICAN CONTEMPORARY

MAY DRAGON, 4848 Belt Line at Inwood, Addison, 214-392-9998. Lunch and dinner 365 days. One of the most scramble Chinese menus ever; descriptions so complete you can use it as a cookbook. Almost as many dishes, too! Most popular: sesame chicken, crispy whole red snapper in Hunan sauce, Peking duck, Hong Kong’ style steak. Roll your own: lettuce with shrimp, chicken, pork or vegetarian. Giant fortune cookie filled with chocolate mousse. Piano music Friday and Saturday nights. $$

CHINESE

MEDITERRANEO, 18111 Preston at Frankford, 214-447-0066. Lunch and dinner, closed Sunday and holidays. Smoke-free dining rooms, smoking in bar only, Classy continental decor (lighting won a design award). This is the more casual sister restaurant to The Riviera: exec chef David Holben creates menus tor both. CIA grad scholarship program took him to France to work in famed kitchens: Roger Verge, Paul Bocuse in Lyon, the George V Hotel in Paris. Most popular: capellini crab pancake, double cut lamb chop, polenta-crusted salmon. $$

MEDITERRANEAN BISTRO

Ml PIACI 14854 Monrfort. Addison, 214-934-8424. Lunch and dinner Monday-Friday, Saturday and Sunday dinner only. Homemade Bologna-style pasta (with eggs), and hand-stirred risotto dishes with imported short grain rice are featured. Try the salmon and sea scallop risotto. Or the cap-pellacci: giant ravioli filled with fresh crahmeat, finished with lemon cream and asparagus. Brodo frutti di mare is the classic fishermen’s stew, enough for two. Simple pleasures: new potatoes roasted with rosemary and olive oil. $$

ITALIAN

PREIZLER’S DELICATESSEN ft BAKERY, 116 Preston Valley Shopping Center at LBJ, 214-458-8896, Fax 214-701-8571. Breakfast and lunch, Monday through Friday 7 a.m. to 4 p.m., Sunday 7 a.m. to 3 p.m., closed Saturdays. If you lust after lox, cry for knishes or salivate over smoked sable, here’s your place. Genuine Jewish penicillin (chicken soup with matzoh balls or kreplach) chopped liver, potato latkes (pancakes) with applesauce, blindes (crepes), pure beef franks, The bakery turns out 27 flavors of fat-free bagels, challah (egg bread) “the best Jewish rye bread in Texas,” and pastries (some are even sugar-free). Sandwiches are stupendous; cornedbeef, hot pastrami, tongue, smoked turkey in any combination served with fresh slaw or potato salad and the mandatory pickles. No alcohol. Fax for takeout. $

DELI



Midcities-Fort Worth

CACHAREL, 9th Floor, Brookhollow Two, 2221 East Lamar at Highway 360, Arlington, 817-640-9981. Lunch and dinner, closed Sunday and holidays. 100 percent non-smoking. Imagine a French country penthouse! This one serves escargot, house-cured salmon on haricots, pesto-brushed swordfish, tenderloin Pengordine sauce. Most popular: duck breast with cranberries, filo with white chocolate mousse and raspberries. Fall features: venison, pheasant. Conde Nast Trawler’s reader poll placed Cacharel among the top 50 USA restaurants (1/94).$$$

FRENCH COUNTRY

VIA REAL, 4020 North MacArthur at Las Colinas Plaza, Suite 100, Irving, 214-255-0064. Lunch and dinner seven days, closed holidays. Mexican cuisine with Santa Fe style in a lovely Las Colinas setting; menu is right on target. Black ceiling gives the illusion of an outdoor courtyard at night. Spanish balcony, water spilling from urn to urn. The show continues with gulf shrimp on serrano chili fettuccine, almond-crusted chicken in a spicy orange-scented sauce. Squash enchiladas and mushroom tacos are great selections for vegetarians. Bargain-priced wine list. $$

MEXICAN